Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-10-07
LOST AND FOUND.
A STORY OF THE FRONTIER.
BY JAMES F. Fits.

thO CottJ CoAo VI bhC fANo~De 1870
~ a hardy settler, Guy Danvers,
with his family, and located near
wat is now known as the Ridge
Road. The region was then an al,
most unbroken forest. There was
no other settler within two miles
there was no village within ten
miles; and so sparse and scattered
was the population that each hardy
pioneer had to rely upon himself in
the dangers and troubles of his sit
uatiou.
The family of Danyers consisted
of himself, bis wife, and one child.
Danyers and his wife we're of the
middle age, had seen much sorrow
and adversely in Connecticut,
whence they had removed to their
new home, and had followed five
dear children to the grave. The
sixth and last, the darling Of their
hearts, alone survived, and was
with them in their wilderness home,
Little Pick, as he was called, (he
was named for the Revolutionary
patriot, Timothy Pickering) was at
this time but seven years old; a
laughing, blue-eyed, gOlden.haired
child, bright and intelligent beyond
his years, and won all hearts by bis
cunning and precocious ways.
Many Indians still inhabited this
region, although not hostile to the
white settlers. Small parties OF
them had sometimes passed the
Danvers cabin, and the little fami.
iy had become accustomed to their
appearance. One day in the spring,
a tall young Indian came slowly
out of the woods, and paused near
the door. Mr.. Danvers accOsted
him in a friendly manner, using the
few native words Of welcome that
be had learned. The reply was in
language that the settler at once
understood 20 mean-"sick. very
sick- e was then easily seen that
the visitor was suffering with Sc
we're fever. He accepted the invi
tation TO come into the cabin and
he down and there be lay for three
weeks before he was able 10 walk
again. Mrs. Danvers was Il skill
iul and experienced nurse, aud had
brought with her a stock Of medl
cines. Under her care the Indian
slowly recovered. He talked very
little, and his impassive face hardly
showed the trace of q human emo
ton; not even when little Pick
would put his little white hand in
to the big brown one of the other
and play with the beads and feath
ers of his dress. Beyond the facts
that bis name was Kondiarock,
that be was a Mohawk who had
fingered here when his tribe re-
moved to Canada, because he liked
this country, and that he roved be
tween the lakes, without any fixed
home, be bad nothing to tell. When
at last he had recovered, his leave
taking was abrupt and thankless
Que moning when the family bad
risen, they found that he had de
parted during the night, without
word or sign.
IL believe they are all brutes
these Indians" said the good house
wife, pettishly. "Tbey don't ap
preciate kindness, and are mo-
thankful for it,
"You are mistaken" replied th'
husband. "Their ways are very
different from ours, and they schoo
themselves 70 suppress their feel
iugs; but they are capable of graft
tude.'
"Indeed And this fellow die
not even say thank YOU"
"IIe couldn't speak tin English,
laughed Danvers, "and if he ha(
said it in Mohawk, you never woulC
know what he was talking about.
II was long before they saw Their
strange guest again, but tokens o
his remembrance and thsnkfnlnesi
were not wanting. One morning
fine quarter of venisOn was found
At the door; week after, ther'
was a Wild turkey there ; and later
a great muscalonge from the lake
7 GIFTS of this kind were frequen
during the summer, always coming
II The same mysterious manner
With no other trace of the DONOR
Tie last was a quantity of will
honey. contained in curious vesse
Of birch bark. From this time th
presents ceased and one day
white man who had seen the India
while he lay SICK at the cabin toll
Mr.. Dsuvers that he had met hiI
"A week bssore on bis way west t
ioin his trib> at the Grand River {
Canada.
The pleasant asumn season wa
well advanced, ana Danvers wa
laboriBg hard With his Ak to Ell
LARGE his little clearing aronsd tn
cabin. Often he to'k his boy W.
him for company; and as he usua
" worked in sight If the cabi
though sometimes fftl rods ava.
MrsD4nyers could see her husbau
and child by stepping q the doc
Upon the memorable ami sOrrO'
fnl day which is now to be n
uced, the pioneer had gone deep
into the woods, and was at wO'